


The Others

by Rycalla



Series: Legacy of Oerba [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series
Genre: Abuse, Breastfeeding, Childbirth, Cunnilingus, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Original Character(s), Pregnancy, Slavery, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:58:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rycalla/pseuds/Rycalla
Summary: Everyone thought Fang and Vanille were the only two survivors of Oerba. That they were the only two l'cie to crystallize and survive all that timeUntil now.When Lightning unwittingly hooks up with a girl named Sand, things start to spiral out of control with the return of the Tay clan and the secrets of the Dias.





	1. Sand

Lightning Farron was bored and lonesome. Sure, she had her family and friends, but they had been too busy lately for her. Also she, being who she was, wanted to find herself a nice girlfriend and maybe settle down. She had a child, a little boy named Aidan, who she loved very much, but she wanted to get married. That was one of the reasons she had left her son with her sister and went out to the bar this night.  
Lightning sat at the bar and just watched. She wanted to have a drink, but since she was breastfeeding it wasn’t a good idea. She didn’t want to take any risk of hurting her baby in any way.  
“Hi Lightning. Haven’t seen you in here for a while,” the bartender said.  
“I had a baby. I wasn’t allowed to drink, and Serah didn’t want me bringing girls home while I was pregnant. She didn’t think it would be healthy,” Lightning said, looking around. She was eyeing up a few of the women, but none of them particularly interested her.  
“As always, you’re getting some looks. Especially from that little blonde in the corner. She’s been here almost every day lately, always alone. She always just sits there and drinks.”  
Lightning looked over at the blonde girl the bartender had mentioned. She was cute, and she was alone. Light decided she’d have to remedy the latter and went over to sit with her. “Hey there.”  
“Oh, hi!” The girl said cheerfully. She reminded Lightning of Vanille. She was small and pretty, had green eyes and a high voice. She even had the same accent! “My name is Sand, haven’t seen ya ‘round here before. Ya want somethin’ to drink? I’ll buy. I been waitin’ for someone to come n’ talk to me. Hangin’ ‘round my family all day gets so bloomin’ borin’!”  
“I used to come in here all the time, but I haven’t been able to drink alcohol for quite a while, so there was no real reason to come. I had a baby, and I haven’t been out much. I don’t like to leave him, even though my sister and her husband are really responsible. I have just been so lonely lately, and I figured it was time to get back out there and try to find myself a new girlfriend,” Lightning said. She didn’t know why she had said so much right off the bat, but there was just something about Sand.   
“I understand needin’ to get ‘way from sisters once in a while. I have two of ‘em,” Sand said, grinning.  
“Anyway, I’m Lightning.”  
“Really?! Ya’re Lightning Farron? Yer famous ‘round here! I’ve heard tons of stuff ‘bout ya! Tell me, are the stories true ‘bout ya?” Sand asked excitedly.  
“Depends on which stories you’re talking about. I have been all over the world, and I have seen a lot of strange things, but I don’t know what you’ve heard,” Lightning said. She already liked the girl, that was for sure.  
“So ya’ve really been to Oerba?”  
“A couple of times, yeah. I’ve been almost everywhere.”  
“I’d like to go to Oerba.”  
“I’ll have to talk to my friend Hope about it. He and his wife and their team do research there sometimes. Maybe they’ll let you tag along,” Lightning said. Sand looked pretty amazed.  
“Ya’re…really nice,” Sand said, finishing whatever she had been drinking.  
“You seem like a perfectly sweet, pleasant girl, and those can be hard to find. Even though we just met, I feel so comfortable talking to you,” Lightning said.  
“I’m done here. Don’t need to be drinkin’ more. Want to go get a room at the inn so we can talk more?”  
“I’ve got a better idea. Come home with me. I’ve brought women home before and besides, you want to go to Oerba so maybe tomorrow I can go see my friends and see if you can go out on their next expedition.”  
“Why’re ya doin’ this for me? Ya don’t even know me,” Sand asked.  
“I never believed in love at first sight until now,” Lightning sad quietly.  
Sand blushed. “I like ya too. I didn’t know whether or not to say anythin’, ‘cause I wasn’t sure ya felt the same way ‘bout me. My sisters say I’m an embarrassment to the family, just ‘cause one of them is married n’ the other is lookin’. N’ then there’s my brother who is also lookin’,” she said.  
“Listen to me, there is nothing wrong with you. My sister is married, and she knows full well I’m a lesbian and she respects that. When you’re not on expedition, you could come stay with my family. Serah and Snow won’t give you problems. Come on, let’s go now. It’s probably time I fed my son anyway,” Lightning said.  
The two headed out to Light’s home, unbeknownst to them their lives were going to get more interesting than they had ever imagined very soon.


	2. Hounds

Across town, Vanille and Hope were busy. They had twin daughters that needed constant attention, their dog was in heat and Vanille was on a tablet trying to find her a suitable mate, and Fang didn’t want to move so they had to do almost everything for her. The huntress was pregnant by her fellow hunter and ex-boyfriend Noel Kreiss, she was going to have her child any time now, and Vanille worried for her even though Fang was strong and healthy.  
“How ‘bout him? He’s cute,” Vanille said, showing Hope her tablet.  
“Too fluffy. They’ll shed too much,” Hope said, feeding their twins bottles.  
“What ‘bout this one? He reminds me of Fang’s Destructor.”  
“The Great Destructor,” Fang corrected, laying on her back on the couch.  
“His legs are too short, that’d cause serious issues with any puppies,” Hope said.  
“You’re right. I’ll keep lookin’.”  
“Maker, it’s been three days! Yer really into breedin’ that mutt of yer’s. Ya didn’t even look this hard when ya found yer mate, Vanille. Ya just married the first guy ya slept with,” Fang said.  
“I hafta find the perfect stud. We want good puppies. N’ I really wish you’d stop callin’ Mel a mutt. You know very well she’s a purebred Three-Tailed Oerba hound n’ the direc’ descendant of the dogs my family raised!” Vanille snapped. She was not pleased with her foster sister’s attitude lately.   
“Yer obsessed. There can’t be that many owners of purebred Three-Tail studs, ya found Mel by accident,” Fang said.  
“You’d be surprised. I found some through my Kennel Club, n’ there’s the people who bred Mel. They have a few studs ‘sides ‘er sire,” Vanille said. “N’ Fang? I swear, if you weren’t pregnant, I’d smack you right ‘bout now.”  
“Yeah, but I am, so I can say whatever I want n’ there’s not a damn thing you can do ‘bout it!” Fang said delightedly. Mel growled at her, but she was muzzled so she couldn’t bite. The large dog didn’t like Fang, and she bit. With Fang being pregnant and all, Vanille kept her dog muzzled when she was in the house. “Ah, shut up ya stupid beast!” Fang threw a pillow at the canine.  
“I like this one’s name. Oerba Tay Wolfman,” Vanille said.  
Fang sat up. “Tay?! TAY?! Ya want somethin’ to do with a dog named after them? Doncha remember what the Tay’s did to us? I can’t believe ya sometimes Vanille!” She yelled, punching the back of the couch.  
“It’s just his name, Fangy. You know as well as I do we’re all that’s left of Oerba. Us two n’ the dogs n’ my kids are half. I happen to like a name that honours Oerba. It’s cleverer than Melanie certainly. I shoulda called ‘er Oerba Dia Melanie,” Vanille said.   
“My kid’s gonna have a good name. I don’t care whether it’s a boy or a girl, it’s gonna be Oerba Yun Hunter. I woulda added Kreiss to honour their father, but Noel is a jerk n’ he doesn’t deserve it,” Fang remarked, rubbing her belly.  
“I like him. Let’s use him,” Hope said, taking Vanille’s tablet and writing down the phone number, putting his daughters down to crawl around on the floor. “It says ‘Ask for Lila or Cassandra if interested.’” He added.  
“I’m so excited! I’ve been waitin’ so long to get some puppies! Had to wait ‘til Mel was a year old, you know. Wasn’t gonna do it when she was practically still a puppy herself,” Vanille exclaimed.  
“Three-Tails can live to be twenty or so, I think she is still pretty much a puppy. She’s big, but she’s not even ‘er full size yet. I’d wait ‘til she was two or three,” Fang said, sinking back down.  
“You okay?” Vanille asked.  
“Yeah. Don’t worry ‘bout me. I’m tough. I’ve been pregnant ‘fore. Ya should remember. Ya were thirteen n’ outta yer mind worried ‘bout me,” Fang said.  
“You miscarried! That Cocoon girl you n’ Polla brought home went n’ kicked you in the stomach several times for continuously sayin’ ‘er husband quote ‘got eated’ unquote! Maker, can’t even remember her name!” Vanille exclaimed.  
“Janie. I woulda been fine if the little bitch hadn’t done that. I knew I shoulda killed ‘er insteada me n’ Polla bringin’ ‘er home. Even though I was only fifteen I was strong. Yuns’re good moms, my sisters and Mom never had any problems havin’ kids. N’ I’m even stronger and healthier now that I’m in my twenties. Me n’ Hunter’ll be fine,” Fang said. “It was the Dias that often had complications or died havin’ kids. Yer lucky, yer a good mom.”  
“Nora, no!” Vanille yelled. One of her daughters was about to put a bug in her mouth. “Hope, please watch them. They’ll eat anythin’ they can get their hands on. Partic’rly Nora, but Diamond will do it too. I’m busy right now or I’d play with ‘em. I don’t need to be takin’ ‘em to the hospital right now.”  
“Can’t wait to get back to huntin’, though with the way you watch yer kids it may be a long time ‘fore I trust ya to babysit,” Fang said, watching Diamond grab Mel’s tail even though the dog would never bite her even if she wasn’t muzzled. Fang was the only person she didn’t like, and nobody knew why. “Can one of ya get me some magazines next time yer out? I’m bored.”  
“We’ll see,” Hope said, picking up Diamond to stop her from picking on the dog.


	3. Desert Storm

Lightning sat on her bed, feeding Aidan. Sand sat with her and tried to braid her hair.  
“Don’t do that,” Lightning hissed.  
“I can’t help it. Yer hair is so beautiful, I’ve never seen anythin’ like it. I just had to touch it. I knew some people with red hair, but never pink. All my family is blonde like me. I dunno, maybe I should dye it, dunno what colour. Wouldn’t do pink, ‘cause that would just be tryin’ to be like ya,” Sand said.  
“Blonde is fine. Aidan’s father has blonde hair, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Lightning said.  
“But yer baby is so lucky then. He inherited yer pretty hair.”  
“I worry about that sometimes. Pink hair on a boy looks odd. I hope nobody picks on him about it. I mean, I think Aidan is absolutely perfect, but kids can be cruel,” Lightning said. She finished nursing Aidan and just sat there snuggling him.  
“Hey Light, let’s go to bed,” Sand purred.  
“In a minute, I have to get Aidan back to sleep,” Lightning said sweetly.  
“Ya do know what I want, doncha?”  
“Oh yes. I realize you’re begging me for sex. Yeah, we’re going to sleep together. That’s the reason I brought you home in the first place besides the Oerba thing. You’re not the first girl I’ve brought home, not by a long shot,” Lightning said, hugging Aidan before placing him back in his crib. She took the crib and rolled it into her sister and Snow’s room so she and Sand wouldn’t wake him up. Luckily they were asleep so she didn’t have to walk in on them again. Then she laid back on her bed and pulled Sand down on top of her. Her shirt was still open from her breastfeeding her child.  
“Ye’re so pretty,” Sand whispered. She licked Lightning’s face while she cupped the pinkette’s large breasts and squeezed, which forced milk out. Sand found that absolutely beautiful too. She licked the milk off, which Lightning didn’t seem to mind at all.  
“Let’s see yours,” Lightning said. Sand was excited to show off. She pulled off her blouse, and unhooked her bra. Her own breasts were perfectly rounded and absolutely gorgeous. Plump and perky, with the nicest pink nipples Lightning had seen in a long time. Lightning rubbed at her nipples gently.  
“I shouldn’t ask, don’t think I’m bein’ rude or nothin’, but is Lightning yer real name?” Sand asked.  
“No, is Sand yours?” Lightning asked, still rubbing Sand’s rosy buds.  
“Short fer Cassandra.”  
“That’s a nice name, I like it. I haven’t told a lot of people, but since you shared that with me…my real name is Claire. Claire Farron, but don’t call me that. Either Lightning or Light works.”  
“I’m also called Sand ‘cause my hair is the colour of sand,” the younger girl said. She wrapped her lips around Lightning’s left breast and began suckling.  
“Oh, that’s nice. It’s been too long. I’m so swollen, take as much as you’d like,” Lightning moaned, just about melting into the pillows. Usually she was the one who had to take the next step, it was nice to have someone brave enough to do it for her for a change. And it was especially interesting because it was a tiny blonde girl that nobody would expect to be dominant doing it. Sand murred against her, content. Lightning patted her head and let her work, sighing happily. Sand snuck a hand down and put it into Lightning’s panties, the other one still milking her.  
Sand switched sides, and rubbed at Lightning’s clit. She was bold, that was for sure. Lightning squeezed her breasts again. “I can make that so much easier,” the pinkette whispered and took her skirt and panties off.  
Sand stopped sucking Lightning’s breast. “Yer so wet already, Love,” she trilled before she slid a finger inside. “N’ so warm n’ tight!”  
Lightning laughed. “It’s only tight because I had a cesarean with Aidan. That spared my pussy…even though I am not a virgin by any means,” she said, rubbing Sand’s back at this point.  
“Yer so perfect, don’t even have a scar,” Sand purred, moving her finger in deeper.  
“I’m far from perfect. And I only don’t have a scar because my brother-in-law used some magic on me, one of the many ways to thank me for having his child. My sister is barren. And before you ask, no, I didn’t sleep with him, we used artificial insemination,” Lightning said, enjoying herself. Sand pushed in a second finger and pumped them in and out.  
“Yer perfect to me,” Sand murmured, filling Lightning with a third finger.  
Lightning cried out, loving the slender fingers inside her most intimate area. Sand knew just how to touch, how to please. Sand splayed her fingers, and Lightning arched her back. She was so close.  
“Come fer me,” Sand said happily, pumping her fingers fast. She curled them, and Lightning’s breathing quickened. She came hard, screaming. Sand grinned delightedly and continued until Light came down from her high.  
“It’s been much too long…I needed that,” Lightning said, panting. Sand slid her fingers out slowly, one at a time, and licked them off. She looked Light over.  
“More pink hair, I love it! Yer just so adorable,” Sand whispered.  
“Top drawer, by the bed, take your pick,” Lightning said.  
Sand opened the drawer and took out all the items inside. Lightning had a number of sex toys and she’d take whatever the blonde girl chose. Sand just hoped she’d pick the perfect one for the both of them. She was experienced, but not as much as the older woman.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
When Sand awoke the next morning, Lightning was still curled up against her. She didn’t want to wake her, so she just laid there. Not ten minutes later though, Serah wheeled Aidan’s crib in. The baby was crying and that woke Light up quick.  
“G’morning,” Sand murmured.  
“Can’t you take care of him, Serah? I’m exhausted. I had him so you could take care of a child,” Lightning said, covering her head with a pillow.  
“It’s not my fault you’re tired because you brought a random whore home again. And I can’t nurse him, he needs you,” Serah said.  
“Who ya callin’ a random whore?!” Sand yelled.  
“Just ignore her,” Lightning said, reluctantly getting up and dressed. Sand retrieved her own. Serah walked off to get breakfast.  
“Do ya mind if I call my sister? She might be worried ‘bout me when I never went home last night,” Sand asked, finding her purse and pulling out a cell phone. “’course, knowin’ her she prolly don’t really care.”  
“Go ahead. Then come out and we can have breakfast before we go see my friends,” Lightning said.  
Sand had already called. “Oy, Lila! Yeah, yeah, I’m alive. I found someone n’ I spent the night at ‘er house. Yeah, she’s cool. Said she has some friends who know ‘bout Oerba. Yeah…really? Ya just posted the ad two days ago n’ ya got someone interested already? I thought it would take months to find anyone interested in usin’ him! Yeah huh, I’ll be home later,” she said.


	4. Oerba Tay Cassandra

Vanille was excited. She had made arrangements to borrow the other dog, and a little later Lightning had called and said she was going to visit.   
“Hope, can ya get Nora to put ‘er clothes back on? I can’t do anythin’ ‘bout ‘er right now—Diamond! Stop pullin’ Mel’s tails already—n’ Fang is sleepin’ so she can’t do it,” Vanille said, brushing her dog. She would spend an hour grooming the puppy almost every day. Since Fang was sleeping in her room, Mel could have her muzzle off and she started barking suddenly and ran to the door.  
“Mel, down! Yes, you’re cute, you’re cute. Please get down! Vanille, can you get this monster of yours off?!” Lightning asked, Mel jumping up and licking her face. “By the way, this is Sand. She’s very interested in Oerba and everything.”  
“A Three-Tailed hound! How adorable! My sister has one of ‘em, n’…” Sand began, then she noticed Vanille, who had grabbed Mel by the collar and was trying to pull her away from Lightning. She stopped short and stared. “I don’t b’lieve it. I didn’t think there were any others but there’s nothin’ else ya can be! Yer a Dia!”   
Vanille held Mel, “Yes. What do you know ‘bout us?” she asked.   
“Oh, I know tons ‘bout yer lot. I didn’t think there were any left ‘sides my sister’s little…let’s say ‘friend’…Kammigan,” Sand said.   
“Oh my Maker, yer a Tay, arncha?! Fang is not goin’ to like this,” Vanille said.  
Fang walked out of her room, infuriated. “Yer damn right I’m not gonna like this! What’s a Tay doin’ here, alive? I thought we were fin’ly done with the fuckin’ Tay’s when we were frozen!” She roared, charging at Sand and pinning her against the wall.  
“Fang! Calm down! She isn’t hurtin’ anyone, n’ yer delicate!” Vanille cried. Mel began growling, and trying to get away so she could attack.  
“Who ya callin’ delicate? I’m a hunter!” Fang yelled.  
“I’m not goin’ to hurt anyone! Lightning, can ya help me?” Sand pleaded.  
“Damn right yer not gonna hurt no one, ‘cause I’m gonna kill ya right now,” Fang snarled.  
“Fang, back off. I know you don’t like whatever she is, but I like her,” Lightning said.  
“She’s a Tay! They were like us, only a bunch of filthy bastards who treated Dias like animals!’ Fang yelled. She had her hands around Sand’s throat, trying to strangle her.  
“FANG! Let her go now!” Lightning yelled.   
Fang didn’t listen, she was in a pure rage. Then she turned pale and dropped to her knees, forgetting the blonde woman and clutching her own belly. Sand went and held onto Lightning’s arm, breathing deep. Vanille ran to Fang’s side, handing Mel over to Hope, and knelt beside her.  
“Are you alright?” Vanille asked.  
“No…I had a contraction, now I can’t kill the threat,” Fang whimpered.  
“Can you get up? I can’t carry you into yer room, yer too heavy,” Vanille said.  
“I could. She’s right, I am a Tay, n’ we were more physic’ly powerful than even Yuns. Which, I’m certain, she is. I only wasn’t able to fight ‘er off ‘cause she got me ‘fore I could react. N’ I didn’t wanna hurt ‘er, she’s pregnant,” Sand said, scooping Fang into her arms. That naturally didn’t go over well with the other woman. “Stay still or yer gonna hurt yerself!”  
“Don’t touch me, Tay!” Fang yelled, struggling.  
“Stop, I don’t wanna drop ya. I’m tryin’ to help ya, even though ya tried to kill me,” Sand said.   
“Fang, look at me. You know all the Tays weren’t bad. You got ‘long fine with Huntmaster Alexis, and Wings never hurt anyone either! You always yelled at yer old fiancé when he’d call me names, n’ now yer doin’ the same thing to someone you don’t even know!” Vanille snapped.  
“How can ya defend them? Tays killed yer parents!” Fang yelled, though she stopped struggling.  
“I know the Tays, my mother was a Tay!” Vanille cried. Then she stopped and covered her mouth. She had never meant to tell Fang that.  
“Vanille…” Fang said. Sand carried her into her room and laid her down on her bed. Lightning followed her, Vanille running to the side of the bed to comfort her friend. Hope put Melanie outside, put his daughters in their bed, and joined them, bringing some chairs in so they could wait.   
“It’s prolly gonna be a while yet, so while we have time, speak Tay,” Vanille hissed.  
“My name’s Sand. Yes, I am a Tay. My fam’ly…we were all l’cie. We were crystallized long ago, ‘bout seven hunert years ago. There were six of us. Me, my two sisters, my brother, my sister’s husband, and our Dia…friend. We were statuaries in someone’s garden ‘til a few years ago. I always wanted to go back to Oerba, but my sister says it’s pointless. We never knew anyone else survived, much less a Yun and a Dia. I never person’ly had any problems with the Dias, but my sister Lila does. I’d rather ya didn’t meet ‘er. She’s mean, n’ she’s strong,” Sand explained.  
“Fang n’ I…we always thought we were the only survivors too. We never thought there might have been other l’cie ‘fore us,” Vanille said.   
“I never hoped to see ‘nother Tay again,” Fang growled. Then she cried out again. Vanille squeezed her hand.  
“What’s her problem?” Sand asked.  
“Fang doesn’t like Tays ‘cause a group of ‘em killed ‘er father n’ that made ‘er mother go insane n’ kill ‘erself. She’s never forgiven them. N’ then there was the ones who killed my parents, even though my mother was one of ‘em. I don’t even ‘member ‘em, I was just a baby. N’ when I was twelve, three of ‘em captured me and tried to force ‘emselves on me. If not for Fang, I would’ve been raped. We’ve always had issues with ‘em, even though some of ‘em, like their huntmaster, were our friends,” Vanille said.  
“I’m not a bad person, I just want to go home,” Sand said.  
“Ya don’t understand. There is no home anymore! It exists, yeah, but there’s nobody left! Just yer fam’ly, n’ me n’ Vanille. Her kids and my child are half, n’ the dogs survived, but there’s nobody there. Last time I saw it, it was full of Cie’th,” Fang said.  
“How long is this gonna take?” Sand asked.  
“Be quiet, Tay!” Fang barked.  
“I dunno. My twins took 37 hours,” Vanille said.  
“Like that makes me feel any better.”  
Lightning was just watching. She knew better than to say anything. Fang needed to relax and with Sand there it wasn’t going to happen already. She didn’t need to hear what the pinkette thought about the situation, even if they were friends.  
“Miss Sand, you said your sister’s name is Lila, right?” Hope asked.  
“Yeah, why?”  
“I think we have a problem then.”  
“Oh yeah! That’s right, I think I spoke to ‘er earlier. Ya have a dog, doncha?” Vanille asked.  
“Yeah, we have a Three-Tailed hound stud, Wolfman. N’ Lila just put the ad up to breed ‘im n’ someone already responded. Oh man…ya chose Lila’s dog. I was hopin’ ya wouldn’t have to deal with ‘er. She’s always been so mean, ‘specially involvin’ the Dias,” Sand said, burying her face in her hands.  
“It will be fine. Vanille can take care of herself pretty well. And Fang here will protect her at all costs, even if she will have her baby to protect too. And I won’t let anybody hurt my wife. Your sister won’t do anything to her,” Hope said.  
“If Vanille is yer wife…then where is the father of the Yun girl’s child? He should be here!” Sand exclaimed.  
“Not that it’s any of yer concern, but he’s a big jerk who went right back to his teenage girlfriend ‘cause we couldn’t get ‘long. I dunno if he even cares ‘bout our child. He left me right after he found out I was pregnant,” Fang said. She seemed to have calmed down slightly, but she still didn’t like Sand and was in serious pain.  
“That’s not how it happened at all! You left Noel yerself ‘fore anyone knew you were pregnant ‘cause he was pinin’ for Yeul the whole time he was with you n’ you didn’t want to deal with that anymore. N’ you told him if he wasn’t gonna stop thinkin’ ‘bout ‘er all the time you couldn’t stand in their way anymore,” Vanille said.


	5. Vanille the Healer

Noel woke up that morning feeling something was off. He couldn’t explain it, but he knew something big was going on. He laid in bed, waiting for Yeul to get up. He didn’t want to wake her. He wanted to go see Fang, even if she didn’t want to see him. They had broken up right after Fang got pregnant, and though he didn’t think he was ready to be a father (which was the main reason Fang had gotten so mad at him besides his continuing interest in Yeul) he still cared about what happened to the child and wanted to be part of its life.  
“Noel, are you leaving?” Yeul asked. Noel thought he had been quiet. He and Yeul had been intimate the previous night and she would usually sleep for about twelve hours afterward.  
“I think I’d better go see Fang. She’s due any time now and it is my child after all,” Noel said.  
“I’m coming with you. Maybe we can go out to breakfast first. And then after we can find a nice hotel with a hot tub,” Yeul purred.  
“I ’m gonna be getting grief for this, aren’t I? You’re going to say something sexual that gets us in trouble with everyone. Honestly, I don’t know what’s wrong with you lately,” Noel complained.  
“I’m not going to say anything bad, I promise. I save that for when we’re alone,” Yeul said, getting up and finding her clothes.  
“Aren’t you sure you wouldn’t rather stay here? Fang won’t be happy. You’re pretty much the reason we broke up. I love you but I care about her. I wouldn’t want to put any more stress on her than there already is. Sheesh, one time getting drunk changed so much,” Noel said.  
“You need me. I’ll try to stay out of the way. Fang said if you want to be with me she won’t stand in your way, didn’t she? She knows we’re together, and I can’t dislike her. The things she did for you…some of them I really like,” Yeul said.  
“Then c’mon. We need to get going, especially if we’re gonna have time to get some breakfast first,” Noel said.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Fang screamed again. Her contractions were getting closer together, but she was nowhere near ready to give birth. Vanille stood by, trying to calm her. Sand was sitting on Lightning’s lap, watching intently.   
“Good thing I was taught how to assist in this,” Vanille said.  
“Ya were a healer?” Sand asked.  
“I was bein’ trained as a healer, but all I ever wanted to do was hunt like Fangy.”  
“Dia women never were great hunters. Of course, ya were part Tay, so I’m sure yer mom coulda taught ya some.”  
“My mother died when I was a baby. ‘Er own kin killed ‘er n’ my father. The hunters found them cut to pieces right outside the village. I was raised by my aunt n’ uncle. My uncle was a hunter, he trained Fang n’ sometimes I’d tag ‘long. I never was a good hunter either, biggest thing I ever took out was a bear and that was just ‘cause one of the hunter boys had dropped his crossbow and I acted out of fear. Fang and ‘er kin would take down King Behemoths and Adamantoises all the time. And for the record? My mother quit huntin’ when she joined the Dias, she was an artisan,” Vanille said.  
“That’s wrong. I just can’t b’lieve Tays would kill one of their own like that,” Sand said.  
“They did things like that all the damn time! And Van? I still can’t b’lieve ya never told me yer mother was a Tay, I wouldn’t have cared!” Fang said, before she cried out again,   
“Fang, we can talk ‘bout this later. You need to focus on yerself right now,” Vanille said. “Hope, could you get me some gloves? I’m gonna need ‘em. Maybe you could get Fang some ice while yer at it. I’d do it myself, but I need to tend to my sis here.”  
“She’s not yer sister,” Sand said as Hope went to go do what his wife asked.  
“She might as well be. She has always been more my family than even my own siblin’s. N’ Fang? It’s kinda obvious I have Tay blood. I never had complications havin’ my twins, full Dias almost always did,” Vanille said.  
“I know how that went, I pulled ‘em outta ya. N’ now yer gonna return the favour,” Fang said almost in a whisper. She was losing her voice from screaming.  
“I know. I love you, Fangy, I won’t let anythin’ bad happen,” Vanille said. “I wish I could help this go faster.”  
“Massage her breasts,” Lightning said.  
“WHAT?!” Vanille, Sand, and Fang all cried.  
“I know yer a lesbian, but ya don’t get to say things like that! I already told ya we’re friends n’ that’s all we’re ever gonna be!” Fang snapped.  
“I wasn’t. I’ve had a baby, I know a few things, and my book said that’s supposed to help it progress. At least maybe relax you if nothing else. I mean, I had a C-section, but I still read books and watched videos,” Lightning said.  
Vanille nodded. “Fang, I’m goin’ to do what she said. Sand, I think I’m goin’ to need you to check on her while I’m doin’ it. I know she don’t like you, but Hope is still gettin’ my supplies. Why the heck is he takin’ so long anyway? I just asked him for some gloves n’ ice,” she said.   
“Ya can’t be serious,” Fang said.  
“We’re tryin’ to make this easier on you, so let me work. Sand isn’t goin’ to touch you, n’ I want you to relax. I don’t want to lose you,” Vanille said.  
Hope came back just as Vanille started and sat and watched interested. He forgot to close the door behind him and Melanie came in behind him. For once she didn’t attack Fang, she just laid down next to Light and curled up, whining. Lightning reached down and scratched her behind the ears.  
“She’s not quite ready yet,” Sand said, examining Fang.  
“Hope, did you get what I asked?” Vanille asked. Hope just stood there, transfixed. “Hope! Pay attention to me!”  
Hope shook it off and placed the items on the bed next to Fang. Then he went and stood with his wife. “It’s taking a long time. That’s normal, right?” he asked.  
“Yeah. She’s progressin’ at least. I wish I had asked for bottles, she’s lactatin’. Pretty heavily in fact,” Vanille said.  
“Typical Yun. Always were good mothers,” Sand remarked.  
“They’ve grown a bit too,” Fang said, trying to lighten the mood a bit, even if just for herself. It wasn’t easy, her contractions were getting closer together.


	6. Fang's Child

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't been able to write for a while. I just got my black belt in Tae Kwon Do and I had my hands severely bruised and messed up so it hurt to type, AND our stupid download limit was super low but now I'm back and it's reset so I can post again.

Hours had passed. Lightning was tired and laying on the floor using Melanie as a pillow, even though there was no way she’d be able to fall asleep. Sand rested next to her. Fang was almost ready to deliver and Vanille was getting ready to assist.  
Fang wouldn’t stop crying. Vanille checked her once more. “I think ya’re ready to start pushin’,” the younger girl said. “Don’t worry ‘bout anythin’. I’m here, n’ I can help if you need it.”  
“She’s a Yun. They never needed help, at least the ones I knew, n’ that was long ‘fore yer time,” Sand remarked.  
“Yeah, I know, but she’s never had a full term baby ‘fore n’ a lot can happen. The last time she was pregnant she had a miscarriage at four months,” Vanille said, putting her gloves on. Fang bore down, putting all her strength in it, trying to make it go as fast as she possibly could.  
“I told Lila I’d be home later. I should call ‘er ‘gain n’ tell ‘er I’m not gonna be home tonight either,” Sand said, getting out her cell phone again.  
“We’re gonna be meetin’ yer sister anyway tomorrow, so yeah. Call ‘er,” Vanille said.  
“More Tays! I’m in Hell!” Fang screamed. Hope tried to feed her some ice chips, but she wouldn’t take them. She was much too focused on having her child and thinking about how much she hated the Tays.  
“Fang, keep it up, ya’re doin’ great. Hold on, I’m gonna help,” Vanille said before she inserted her hands inside her friend to assist like she had learned from her relatives so long ago.   
“I’m glad I’m trying to wean Aidan so I don’t need to be around him at all times anymore. Serah can figure out how to feed him. I didn’t expect to be here so long so I didn’t think I’d need to bring him,” Lightning muttered.  
“Lila wants to have kids, but we think she may be barren. Been tryin’ fer years. She’s married n’ everythin’ so it’s okay,” Sand said.  
“What about you?” Lightning asked.  
“I prolly can. Meh, wouldn’t mind ‘em someday neither. Prolly would hafta adopt, the way I am, or do art’ficial like ya did, even though the only two Oerban men left are my brother n’ Lila’s husband,” Sand said.  
“You could find someone from Cocoon. I mean, yeah, Fang was with ‘nother Pulsian but there’s nothin’ wrong with people from Cocoon. Hope n’ Lightning are from Cocoon, n’ we love them,” Vanille said.  
“Hey, Van? I think I hear the twins crying,” Hope said.  
“I know. Fang prolly woke ‘em up. I hope they don’t need feedin’, ‘cause you know I can’t do it right now,” Vanille said.   
“If you would allow me, I could do it,” Lightning said.  
“Are you sure? You said ya’re tryin’ to wean Aidan, so this won’t help,” Vanille said as Hope went to go see if he could calm his daughters.  
“Meh, one time isn’t going to do anything. And I said I was trying to wean him, not that I was succeeding,” Lightning said.  
“Good girl, Fangy, just a little more. You can do it!” Vanille cried. Nobody was sure Fang even acknowledged her at this point. The baby was crowning and Vanille was doing her best to help. Hope quickly went to retrieve his daughters.  
“I was an artisan, so I never got to see anythin’ like this. My siblings were all hunters n’ none of ‘em have had kids yet anyway. I wanted to be a hunter, but I’m not as strong as the resta my family. Nothin’ like Lila. Now she is powerful. She has taken down King Behemoths all on her own,” Sand muttered.  
“So has Fang,” Lightning said.  
“C’mon Fang, just a little more. We’re almost there,” Vanille urged. Fang was tiring, but she knew she couldn’t stop. Just as Hope returned with the twins, Fang’s daughter was born.  
Lightning took Nora and Diamond while Hope helped Vanille clean the child off. Fang collapsed back in the bed, her strength gone and just so happy it was over.  
“I can’t believe I ac’ually did it,” Fang whispered. “So, what’ve I got?”  
“It’s a girl, n’ she looks just like you,” Vanille said.  
“That’s nice.”  
“What’re ya gonna call ‘er?” Sand asked.  
“I already decided, didn’t matter whether it was a girl or a boy, the name was gonna be Oerba Yun Hunter,” Fang said.  
“You’re not mad at her anymore?” Lightning asked, eyes closed in contentment as she cared for Vanille’s twins.  
“Meh, I don’t have the strength to be mad. N’ she’s okay. Maybe Tays were diff’rent in ‘er time.”  
“We’ll see how happy ya’re when ya meet Lila,” Sand remarked.   
Vanille gave Fang her child and sat down to rest finally. She was happy for her friend and tired too. And she couldn’t leave. Though Fang seemed okay there was still a lot that could happen.  
“Hi Hunter. Welcome. Oh, I love ya so much already,” Fang said.  
There was knocking on the door. As usual, Mel went crazy and ran to the front, barking and scratching.  
“Who could it be at this hour?” Vanille wondered. “Hope, could you get it? I would, but I’m a mess,”  
“Wouldn’t be Lila yet. She ain’t comin’ ‘til tomorrow. Speakin’ a which I still hafta call ‘er up,” Sand said. Hope went to go see who it was.  
“Poor Hope. He never gets a moment’s rest. Has to do everything for everyone,” Lightning said, laughing.  
“Um, Vanille? You’re not going to believe this. Yeah, Fang is in our room, just wait until you see. We’ve got Vanille and Light too, and a friend of Light’s that even we’re shocked about. Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything but I think you’re psychic or something, knowing just when you think Fang needed you. Just don’t be surprised if she kicks you out. Mel, stop it! If you need to go out, fine, but stop trying to push us over!” Hope called from the front hall.


	7. Noel and Fang

Sand was happily jabbering away on the phone and Lightning was playing with Vanille’s daughters. Fang was resting and caring for her child, Vanille watching. Hope came back in, followed by Noel and Yeul.  
“What’re they doin’ here?” Vanille asked angrily.   
“It’s fine. He just wants to see Hunter. She is his daughter too after all,” Fang said.  
“Yer okay with this? You were pretty mad at him ‘fore,” Vanille said.  
“I don’t have the strength to argue right now, n’ I was mad at everythin’ the other day. He can come see his kid,” Fang said.  
“We should leave the two of them alone,” Yeul said to Vanille.  
“Yeah, I was thinkin’ the same thing. She’s not gonna do anythin’, she’s too weak right now to move. Hey, Light, Hope….um…I forget the other girl’s name…” Vanille began.  
“Sand,” Sand said.  
“Sand then. Let’s all go out into the livin’ room. Fang n’ Noel need some time ‘lone with Hunter. N’ it’s ‘bout time I made some dinner. I’ve spent all day takin’ care of my sister, but I’m really hungry,” Vanille said.  
“Can ya save some for me? I haven’t eaten all day either, n’ I need to so I can take care of my daughter,” Fang said.  
The friends all sat down in the living room. Hope took his daughters, which had fallen right back asleep after Lightning had fed them. Lightning took the couch, Sand went and sat on her lap. “I love my Lightning,” the Tay girl purred. Vanille went into the kitchen to make dinner.  
“Sheesh, where’d you pick this one up?” Hope asked.  
“Same place I’ve found most of my past temporary girlfriends. At a bar,” Lightning said.  
“Temporary?!” Sand cried.  
“What would you be doing at a bar? You’re just a kid like me! How old are you anyway?” Yeul asked.  
“I’m seventeen, n’ I just wanted away from my annoyin’ sister! I’m Oerban, we were ‘llowed to drink at my age, n’ I have a fake ID anyway!” Sand snapped. Lightning moaned and buried her head in her hands. “N’ how old’re ya? Ya can’t be older n’ me!”  
“I’m sixteen,” Yeul hissed.  
“Oh Maker, I’m disgusting…” Lightning whined.  
“No yer not. I’m Oerban. It was diff’rent fer us. We got married at sixteen,” Sand assured her.  
“It was nineteen for us,” Vanille said from the kitchen.  
“Well, fer us it was sixteen. Lila has been married since she was that age, she’s twenty-five. A’course, she’s not even the oldest one of our gang. No, that’d be our Dia, Kam. She’s in her late thirties,” Sand said.  
“You’re fine, Lightning. Don’t worry about it. I’m even younger than her and I’ve been sleeping with Noel,” Yeul said.  
“Like that makes me feel any better…” Lightning muttered. She was still upset.   
“Light, was Serah right? Am I just a random whore to ya?” Sand asked.  
“Pretty much. I only kept you around today because you wanted to see Hope and Vanille. And now that I know you’re only seventeen, I don’t know if I can have sex with you again,” Lightning said. Sand slid off her lap and moved next to Yeul.  
“Oh yeah, I meant to talk to ya ‘bout that, but that ‘ole thing with the Yun happened n’ I kinda forgot. So Mister Hope…Light says ya do all kinds of things involvin’ Oerba. I want to go home, I want to at least see Oerba ‘gain. Seven hunnert years is too long. My fam’ly, we’re all homesick,” Sand said in a calm voice, even though she was still angry at Lightning.  
“I don’t know the next time we’re going to be doing that. Vanille wants to breed her dog, and Fang is going to be recovering for a while and we will not be doing any more research without her. We would like to have you with us, all we ever had a Yun and a Dia telling us things. All I’ve heard about the Tays has been Fang complaining about them and Vanille trying to defend them. And since you’re from a time before them that’s two hundred more years of research I’ve got to piece together. Vanille descends from Tays, some of them you may have known,” Hope said.   
“Lila wasn’t always barren, she had a son once. Maybe some of the Tays Fang n’ Vanille knew came from him. Maybe even Vanille descends from him,” Sand said.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
“She has my eyes,” Noel said, holding Hunter.  
“Yeah. Vanille’s kids both have Hope’s eyes. Maybe that’s a thing ‘bout half-Oerbans. Or maybe it’s just how it happened,” Fang said.   
“You seem to be in a good mood.”  
“I can’t complain. Always wanted to have a kid. I told ya what happened to my last one, didn’t I? Some little Cocoon bitch we saved went n’ kicked me ‘til I miscarried ‘cause I made some stupid comment ‘bout her dead husband. The Honour Guard killed ‘er for it,” Fang said.  
“I’m so glad everything went well,” Noel said.  
“Meh, I’m tough. Anyway Yuns always were good moms. Dammit, I hope Vanille brings dinner soon. I have to eat if I’m gonna be feedin’ Hunter. N’ since I’m Oerban I feel it would be wrong not to breastfeed ‘er. By the way, ‘er full name was gonna be Oerba Yun Hunter, but since I’m not mad at ya anymore she can be Oerba Yun Hunter Kreiss if ya want,” Fang said.  
“I’m still not sure I’m ready to be a father. I’ve had to be very careful with Yeul. I mean, she’s just a kid herself, and I’m not going to drink again after our little mishap,” Noel said.  
Fang laughed. “Our little mishap that gave us Hunter,” she purred. Then she glared. “Ya shouldn’t be doin’ anythin’ to ‘er yet. She’s just a kid. Course, Vanille was with Hope when he was fourteen. Ya told me the first time ya did it with Yeul it was so bad n’ ya didn’t want to sleep with teenagers anymore. Ya had the nerve to ask me if I was legal!”  
“I know, but I love her so much and I do plan on marrying her when she’s eighteen. And I’m sorry about asking that. And even though I’m not sure I can be a good father, I’ll try to help you take care of our daughter. I could take her sometimes if you’d like, let you have a rest. I do need to practice, Yeul wants to have children when we get married,” Noel said.  
“She’s gonna be a little housewife like Vanille, how cute,” Fang said. “Dammit, I wanna sleep, but I have to wait ‘til I’ve had dinner.”  
“Don’t you think you should tone down the swearing?”  
“I’ll try, but it’s how I am. Maybe once Hunter is old enough to understand me. Wouldn’t want her talking like this, now would we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might be slowing down writing this for a while. I have things I want to be doing otherwise and some things I need to do and another story I want to start.


	8. Oerba Tay Lila

Fang fell asleep after she had fed Hunter. Noel left her alone and joined the rest of the friends. Lightning and Sand were still pretty mad at each other, but they had other things to think about now. Sand’s sister had arrived, along with a red-headed woman leading an absolutely gorgeous Three-Tailed hound.  
“G’day Lila!” Sand cried out, running over and hugging her sister.  
“Cassandra, hug Kammigan or somethin’. I don’t have time fer yer nonsense right now,” Lila said. She had a softer voice than Sand. She looked very similar, though a bit shorter (even though she was older) and had longer hair.   
Kammigan, on the other hand, was a mess. She was clearly a Dia, she looked like an older version of Vanille. She was clearly very unhappy, she stared at the floor mostly. And she didn’t speak, she just stood there. She kept wringing her hands, which were covered in scars and still some fresh cuts. She was shaking, afraid of something.  
“Dammit Lila! I can’t touch Kam, she’s terrified! What’d ya do to ‘er this time?!” Sand asked.  
“She didn’t wanna come, so I had to hit ‘er,” Lila said.  
Vanille just about attacked the Tay woman hearing that. “Whatcha mean you hit ‘er?! She’s a person, not an animal! Treatin’ a Dia like that, ya’re just like the Tays that I knew! If Fang wasn’t bedridden, I’d get ‘er out here!” She roared. Kam stopped wringing her hands and started doing what was obviously the Oerban version of sign language.   
“Kammigan is mute. Do any of ya now Oerban sign language? I do, so if need arises I can tell ya what she’s sayin’,” Lila said.  
“I know Oerban sign language, I can translate, but I’m really mad. She’s not a slave, n’ neither am I!” Vanille yelled.  
“I have no interest in havin’ ya as a slave, even though ya’re clearly a Dia. But yes, Kammigan is my slave. She willingly sold ‘erself to me back when we lived in Oerba, so I can do whatever I want to ‘er n’ there’s nothin’ nobody can do ‘bout it,” Lila said.  
“I wouldn’t tick ‘er off. Lila can be nasty, n’ she’s strong. She’s a hunter,” Sand said to Vanille.  
“I’m not gonna drop this,” Vanille growled.  
“Anyway, where’s yer dog? I brought the stud, ya have the bitch somewhere,” Lila said.  
“She’s still sleepin’ in the other room with Fang, I’d go get ‘er but I don’t want to wake my sister up. She would not like this at all, n’ she’d attack you. She just had a baby, she can hardly move. She can’t be fightin’ right now,” Vanille said.  
Lightning got up. “If you don’t mind, I think I should be going home right about now. I gave you what you wanted, Sand, so I’m done. I’m going to go sulk around my own home, play with my kid,” she said. She left, still seeming very upset.  
Vanille sat down and pet the male hound. “The pictures didn’t do him justice. This dog is gorgeous, Mel’s gonna have such cute puppies. N’ I trust me, I know Three-Tailed hounds, my fam’ly raised ‘em,” she said.  
“Dias always did. That’s why I have Kammigan deal with him. At least she’s good for somethin’,” Lila said. Kam started signing again.  
“Miss Kam says she knows little ‘bout the dogs but it’s not like Lila seems to care,” Vanille translated. Then she signed something back to Kam.  
“Yeah, she can hear just fine. She just can’t speak,” Lila said.  
“She can’t speak ‘cause ya tore out mosta ‘er tongue! She has trouble eatin’!” Sand yelled.  
“What is wrong with you?!” Vanille screamed at Lila. “Hope, contact the authorities! This abuse ain’t goin’ on any longer!”  
“Kammigan is legally my slave, the police can’t do a damn thing to me. N’ if ya try, I’m not gonna let ya use my dog,” Lila snapped.  
“I could care less ‘bout yer dog as long as you stop tormentin’ this poor woman!”  
Kam shook her head and started signing again. Vanille watched her closely, surprised. The older Dia was obviously defending Lila, and Vanille couldn’t believe her.  
“You chose this life? With what she does to you? She’s abusin’ you, cousin, don’t you understand that?” Vanille asked. Kam nodded and signed some more. “Just ‘cause if not for ‘er, you wouldn’t be alive? I was a l’cie too, but if it meant livin’ like you do, I would’ve rather died.”  
“There’s more to it than that. Lila caught Kam sleepin’ with ‘er husband n’ tried to kill ‘er. Kam sold ‘erself to Lila to preserve ‘er own hide. Some of the stuff Lila does to ‘er, she deserves. I mean, not the tearin’ out the tongue thing, but Kam is not innocent by any means. She’s done a lot of unpleasant things n’ is ac’ually kinda a bitch,” Sand said. Even those who didn’t understand Oerban Sign Language knew the gesture Kam gave her after saying that.  
“I tore out ‘er tongue cause she wouldn’t shut the hell up ‘bout ya bein’ a lesbian, Cassandra, ‘cause she’s an intolerant li’l monster. Even ya were mad at ‘er that day,” Lila said.  
“She was bein’ rude, but she didn’t deserve that.”  
“Miss Kam, come sit down. You need to relax. I don’t know you, but I’m a Dia too. N’ I don’t know whether what they’ve been sayin’ ‘bout you is true, but I person’ly don’t care. Yer a person, not a beast. Nobody deserves what yer goin’ through. Don’t argue with me. Mrs. Lila, Fang sees this woman, she’s gonna try to kill you. She hates Tays to begin with, tried to kill Sand yesterday,” Vanille said. Kam nodded and sat down next to her, still shaking but not as bad.  
“Should we leave too?” Yeul asked.  
“I saw Hunter, but I don’t know if Fang wants me to leave yet. She’s going to have to wake up soon, Hunter can’t sleep more than two hours, and I don’t want her to think I abandoned her again,” Noel replied.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Lightning was still not happy. In fact, she was devastated. She had never meant to say what she had to Sand, she liked the girl so much. She had gone home and thrown herself onto her bed, sobbing. Serah decided not to bother her with Aidan, even if that might’ve helped the woman calm down.  
“Claire? Are you going to be okay?” Serah asked, standing in the doorway, very worried. She had never seen her sister like that.   
“I don’t know. I slept with a seventeen year old, Serah! I’m a predator,” Lightning cried.  
“You didn’t know,” Serah said.  
“I didn’t ask either. I thought she was Vanille’s age, she was drinking and everything. It turned out she just has a fake ID. And the worst part is I was falling for her. I still like her, but it’s never going to work now. I can’t do that with a child. I know about Hope and Vanille sleeping together as teenagers, and I know about Noel and Yeul, but I can’t do it,” Lightning said.


	9. Oerba Dia Kammigan

Sand was getting bored too, just watching her sister and the Dias fight. And she missed Lightning already, even though she was still upset at her. She couldn’t let it just end like that, and if she was going to work with Vanille and Hope she was probably going to see Lightning again. Even though they had just met, she felt a connection to Lightning and wanted to be with her.  
Fang’s daughter was awake, and that meant Fang was up too. Vanille didn’t want another fight to start in her house, even though she despised Lila more than anything else in the world for the way she treated the only other Dia still alive, so she had to do something.   
“Lovely, just what I need. Fang is awake. She will try to get up, even though she shouldn’t. I don’t want ‘er out here but I can’t stop ‘er. She finds out ‘bout Kam, she’ll attack Lila. N’ I don’t want that happenin’ right now. She needs to rest, so nobody say anythin’ that will set ‘er off. Kam, she doesn’t understand Oerban Sign Language past a few phrases, so you don’t hafta worry. Lila, just watch yer mouth. Fang is a hunter, she’s tough,” Vanille said.  
“I can handle anythin’ ya li’l Dias can dish out,” Lila hissed.  
“Fang is a Yun, n’ there’s nothin’ li’l ‘bout ‘er,” Sand told her.  
“Well, that’s a li’l bita a challenge. Okay, I’ll try not to bother ‘er. Can ya get the dog now?” Lila asked.   
Vanille didn’t need to. Fang came out of the room, Hunter suckling off her. Mel followed, and when she saw the other people, went crazy and ran over to lick everyone in sight. She sniffed at the other dog for a minute, then jumped up to lick Lila.  
“Oh, ya’re adorable! I have a bitch like ya at home, my brother is takin’ care of ‘er. Yer gonna have the cutest li’l puppies,” Lila said, petting the dog.  
“Her name is Melanie, Mel for short. Vanille got her shortly before we got married. She’s a purebred Three-Tailed Oerba Hound and Vanille can trace her bloodlines back to the dogs her own ancestors raised,” Hope said.  
“So is Wolfman here. I just got him n’ his sister. I had three of ‘em back ‘fore I was l’cie,” Lila said.  
Fang went and looked Lila over. “So ya’re the famous Lila, arncha? Yeah, ya look more like the Tays I knew. I know hunters n’ ya look pretty strong too. Once I get my strength back, maybe we could hunt together, or maybe ya wanna have a friendly sparrin’ match,” she said.  
“Okay, that’s the exact opposite of how she reacted when she first saw me!” Sand said laughing. Kam made an almost growling, huffing sound in her throat, which made Vanille visibly worried.  
“She’s okay. That’s just how she laughs,” Lila assured the younger Dia.  
“That’s just disturbing,” Hope said.  
“Another Dia, doesn’t that beat all…” Fang said.  
“’Er name is Kammigan, n’ she can hear ya fine n’ all but she’s mute,” Lila said.  
“Shame. I never bothered to learn sign language like Vanille. ‘Er aunt tried to teach me, but I dint care to learn,” Fang said, looking Kam over, luckily not seeing into her mouth where her tongue had been mostly removed.  
“I want to go apologize to Lightning. Is everything gonna be okay here while I’m gone?” Sand signed to Vanille, so Fang wouldn’t know what she was saying.  
“Yeah, go ahead, we’ve got more than ‘nuff to deal with now and I don’t have any more room in this house anyway. Go have fun,” Vanille said. Sand ran off out the door.  
“I bet she’s just scared I’m gonna try to kill ‘er ‘gain. I kinda overreacted when I first saw ‘er,” Fang said.  
“I’ll say! You were mad as I’ve ever seen you! You had ‘er by the throat ‘fore she could even get through the door! You both are just lucky you went into labour,” Vanille said.  
“Cassandra has that effect on people,” Lila said with a laugh. Kam nodded in agreement.  
“I never got ‘long well with the Tays. They killed Vanille’s parents, even though ‘er mother was one, n’ they killed my father. N’ then there were three of ‘em that kidnapped and almost raped Vanille one time. Sand seems okay though, and I don’t know ya yet but ya seem cool,” Fang said.  
“If she only knew,” Kam signed.  
“Where are you all going to stay? We only have the three rooms, and one of them is mine and Vanille’s, one is Fang’s, and the other is for our twin daughters and I imagine for Fang’s baby too. We’ve been thinking of building an addition, but for now we simply have no space,” Hope said.  
“I need to be here while my dog is here,” Lila said, “n’ wherever I go, Kammigan goes. It’s of no cons’quence where Cassandra is.”  
“Don’t worry about us, we’re going to find an inn later,” Noel said.  
“Well, I s’pose I could pull out the couch bed if I hafta, if you n’ Kam can share it,” Vanille said.  
“Just give me a pillow and blanket. I’ll take the floor and like it,” Kam signed.   
“You shouldn’t hafta sleep on the floor, Kammy. Yer not an animal,” Vanille said.  
“I like to sleep on the floor. It’s my place,” Kam argued.  
“What is she sayin’?” Fang asked.  
“She’s insistin’ she has to sleep on the floor like a beast. She’s subservient to Lila, by choice. I can’t convince ‘er of anythin’,” Vanille said.  
“Hey, Dia, don’t let the Tays treat ya like a slave! Yer a person!” Fang yelped.  
“I have my reasons,” Kam signed. Vanille translated.  
“Oh no, that don’t work with me. Yer not an animal, ya don’t hafta listen to anyone n’ ya don’t hafta sleep on the floor like a dog. If I was at my full strength, ya could have my bed and I’d go see if I could spend some time at Light’s place. There’s room there, I know there is,” Fang said.   
“You say I don’t have to listen to anyone, which includes you, Yun. I will take the floor, just get me a pillow and blanket,” Kam said.  
“I s’pose yer right ‘bout one thing. Ya don’t hafta listen to me, but ya do hafta listen to Vanille while yer here, this is her house, n’ if she doesn’t want ya on the floor, ya don’t get to sleep on the floor. Ya can share the bed with me, I have a soft spot for Dias,” Fang said.  
“Is she like Sand?” Kam asked Vanille.  
“Just the opposite. In fact, Lightning bothers her about it sometimes,” Vanille signed back.


	10. Photographs and Flowers

Lightning was still upset. She laid on her bed, curled up with Aidan and Serah’s cat next to her. She petted the cat, trying to feel better, but it wasn’t working. Nothing was working. She didn’t know how long it would be before she got over Sand. She liked the girl, she remembered how they had made love the night before, how wonderful it had felt. Even though they had only been together for a short time, that little blonde Tay girl had found her way into Lightning’s heart and she was going to stay there.  
“Maybe you could just date her without sex until she’s eighteen. It’s only a year,” Serah said. She was sitting on the floor next to the bed, just trying to make sure her sister was going to be okay.  
“You said I couldn’t have a girlfriend while I was pregnant, and now you’re saying I can’t have a girlfriend now!” Lightning yelled.  
“You can have a girlfriend. You’re the one who is freaked out that you slept with a seventeen-year-old girl. I was with Snow at her age, nobody cares. And you can find any other girl if it bothers you that much,” Serah said.  
“I don’t want another girl. I want Sand. I know I just met her, but I love her already. She’s such a nice girl, and she’s fun. And It’s not like I’m never gonna see her again, because she’s gonna be working with Hope and Vanille, so it helps if we get along,” Lightning said.  
“Don’t destroy yourself over it. Get up, get something to eat. Maybe you’ll feel a little better,” Serah said.  
Lightning didn’t want to get up, but she knew she had to. She sat up and picked up her child, realizing she hadn’t fed him either when she had come home. She remembered what Sand had said about him, how much she liked him. Sand was just such a perfect girlfriend, why did she have to be underage?  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Sand herself was just as depressed. She had never had a girlfriend like Lightning. She had had some girlfriends back in Oerba but they were never very serious. Lightning was just different somehow. Sand knew she’d have to patch things up, she’d have to make Light see they were doing nothing wrong. According to Oerban rules Sand had been an adult for three years, and Light was in her twenties. Though Light disagreed they were two consenting adults as far as Sand was concerned.  
Sand stopped at a shop and bought some flowers. She hoped Lila wouldn’t cause any problems with the other Oerbans without her around to help keep the peace, but she had to do this. She decided maybe she should pick up some meat, cook it in the style of her tribe, make a meal for her and Light. Might make them both a little less upset. It might even convince Light that Sand was an adult able to care for her mate. She was young, and she had never had a serious girlfriend before, but she had read all the romance novels Lila and her other sister Janette had at home and if what they said worked to interest men they might just work on women too.  
“Wish I were a hunter, then I could go catch some food,” Sand said to herself. “At least I still have some gil, though not ‘nuff fer much past the flowers. Might be able to get at least a steak or two. I should ask Lila to raise my ‘lowance next time I see ‘er. I’ve been good recently, she should do it.”  
Serah answered the door at the house, and she was not happy. “You?! What are you doing here? You broke my sister’s heart, go away!” She yelled, slamming the door in Sand’s face. Sand knocked on the door again and Serah said: “Don’t answer that, Snow, it’s that blonde girl that made Lightning so upset!”   
“I just want to talk to ‘er! I brought gifts!” Sand cried, continuing to bang on the door.  
“Go away or we’re calling the cops!” Serah yelled.  
Lightning snuck out the back and pulled Sand away from the front door. “What are you doing here? I thought we were done. You really hurt me, you know that?” She asked. Sand tried to hug her, but she backed off. “I’m so sorry, Lightning. I didn’t know ya had a problem with my age, ya never asked it. I was always so used to nobody carin’, ‘cause in Oerba I was considered an adult n’ was allowed to get married n’ everythin’. It never occurred to me the rules might be differ’nt now!” Sand exclaimed.  
Lightning sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have gotten so mad, but it’s not so simple. It may have been okay seven hundred years ago, but I could get in big trouble if anyone were to find out. I do like you, don’t get me wrong. I like you a lot,” she said.  
“I brought ya some flowers. Roses, same colour as yer hair,” Sand said.  
“Thank you, they’re lovely. Let’s go in. I want to talk to you, and Serah won’t let you in alone,” Light said.  
The two went around back and went inside. They went into Light’s room where she had spread out a bunch of photo albums. “What were ya doin’ with all these?” Sand asked.  
“I was trying to keep my mind off you and how upset I was, so I was looking at my pictures. Serah went and found them all. I forgot I had some of these. And I don’t know who took some of the others.  
“Pictures are cool. I don’t have any myself, Lila won’t let me get a camera ‘cause Janette is ‘fraid they’ll steal ‘er soul or somethin’ weird like that. The rest of us know they’re harmless,” Sand said, picking up one of the albums. “Aw, ya were so cute when ya were li’l. Yer kid looks just like ya!”  
“I’d rather you didn’t look through that one. It has pictures of my parents, and I miss them. I don’t know you well enough to talk much about that,” Lightning said.  
“It’s okay, Lightning. I miss my parents all the time too,” Sand said.  
“These ones are more recent. A lot are from Vanille and Hope’s wedding, and there’s my pregnancy pictures in there too. And I don’t know for sure where that one of me sleeping draped across the couch came from, but I have a good idea,” Lightning said. Sand sat next to her and looked through.  
“Fang is so pretty in that dress. She’s somethin’ else. I knew a buncha Yuns, but they weren’t quite like ‘er. Not so bloomin’ volatile at all. They were strong, but they were a pretty pleasant bunch. My first girlfriend was a Yun. ‘Er name was Ebony,” Sand said.  
“Look, here’s one of Mel when Vanille first got her!”  
“Such a cute li’l puppy, but why is she bitin’ Fang?”  
“She doesn’t like her for some reason.”  
“Hey Lightning? Yer friends are all so cool. N’ ya’re really cool too. I wish ya didn’t care so much ‘bout my age. I want to be with ya. N’ if I’m gonna be workin’ with yer friends in Oerba, we’re gonna be seein’ a lot of each other. If anyone ‘sides one a yer friends asks, I could pass fer eighteen. N’ it’s none of their concern anyway. Bottom line, it’s ‘tween ya, me, n’ the Maker. N’ I really don’t think he cares,” Sand said. “Now, I’ve got some steaks in my pack here, n’ I’m gonna cook ya a meal yer never gonna forget, cause I love ya!”  
Lightning nodded. Maybe Sand was right, it wouldn’t be so bad after all.


End file.
